recital

Jemma had a little practice recital.

She was so good...and grown-up!

Sharks!

Jack played for the Sharks again this year and the season was just awesome.

 After playing up last year and losing every game, except the last one, all the kids came back, worked their tails off and won.  A lot.

But there was one Lapwai team that we just couldn't beat.

And then we did! 

For a big tournament win:

With his most patient fans.

Ski McCall!

We were super pumped to be invited to ski with friends in McCall.  The kids had two days of skiing under their belts and were pretty sure they were ready for Brundage.

They were right.

We left from school, drove straight through, and arrived in time to hover a bit before bed:

(I feel like he looks like such a nerd here.)

After getting the kids all geared up and out the door of the lodge, I went back in to get myself ready.  When I came out, there were Jack and Jemma on the big lift.

What??

Just hopped right off!

I talked them into letting me take them on a green run.

It was a pretty serious level blue.

Henry was rightly worried but there's only one way down!: 

(man, that thing dropped right off behind those people!)

Ed eventually found us.

The view here!

This girl.

She just goes for it, no problem.

I love this place.

Little hot chocolate spot on top.

I spent most of the day skiing alone, which was pretty awesome.

I just found myself smiling the whole time.

It didn't hurt that Ed had a drink waiting for me at the end of the day!

The next day we wandered McCall and watched some hockey.

Always the sign of a good weekend.

let me take you back to January....

when this kid played basketball rain or shine...or snow.

He just comes in to switch gloves when they get wet.

Happy Birthday Happy Jack!

Jack turns 10 today.

I wanted to pull up a quick picture of him but because of some computer glitch, I could only open one album that covers a couple months from what looks like when he was four.  And as I scrolled through picture after picture of Jack with his Jack smile, I was reminded once again of what an absolute joy he has been.

There were maybe 40 pictures in the album and he is a pure delight in all of them.  I couldn't even begin to pick which one I liked the best so I grabbed a bunch and here they are.

Enjoy the pure happiness of Jack...

(and take note, if there is ever another person near him, he must be touching, hugging, snuggling them in some way.  Some things never change)

(a baby picture was in there somehow.  Same smile, chubbier cheeks)

(total chaos of a family picture and Jack's just sitting in the middle smiling)

I can't believe how much we like him.  

And I'm just so thankful that he's ours.

a balmy 35 degrees today...

poo.

Note to self: never (ever) go to Costco on January 2nd.

The place was nuts.  And not super-fun-pre-Christmas nuts.  

People were a bit unpleasant.

We finally got our pizza and a table and Jemma said, "everyone looks so grumpy!"  And when I asked if I looked grumpy too, she said, "a little bit...but I can tell you're trying really hard not to!"

Lego nerds...

Hello 2016!